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September 2002 News Archives
Vallarta Yacht Club Opening in November One of the long-awaited events in the boating community is becoming a reality in Banderas Bay. Construction of the new facility for the Vallarta Yacht Club has been completed at the Paradise Village Resort in Nuevo Vallarta. Scheduled for a gala opening on November 24, the yacht club will be a non-profit organization created and operated by the membership to serve the area. Facilities include a full-service restaurant open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Internet service, a community bulletin board, laundry facilities, a mail drop, an ATM, showers and Jacuzzi with pool are some of the advantages available to members and guests to create the comfortable atmosphere of the club. “The Vallarta Yacht Club will uphold the quality services of Paradise Village and enhance the resort’s image and prestige,” explained Dick Markie, harbormaster at Paradise Village Marina. It’s a dream come true for more than just the area boaters. Additional information is available online at www.vallartayachtclub.com.
Dengue Strikes Fear as Epidemic Spreads Even though it’s been at least five years since the last case of Dengue fever was reported locally, numbers of cases nationally have risen alarmingly in the last few weeks. The rainy season is the obvious period of major risk, the contributing factor being water that lies undisturbed allowing the growth of the larvae of the mosquito, Aedes aegipti. Information is published to advise the public to check for any empty containers that might catch rainwater, including trays underneath potted plants. If too large to be emptied properly, a chemical formula is available that will kill any developing larva. A national program entitled “Patio Limpia,” or “a clean patio,” has been extremely helpful in educating the public and moving toward eliminating the causes of the feared Dengue fever. Among the symptoms of the disease are that general run-down feeling, or loss of energy and possibly a generalized discomfort and/or pain in the joints. Since the ‘70s, when sanitary measures were implemented, despite panic in some areas of the country, Puerto Vallarta continues to maintain standards to prevent further outbreaks.
President Fox Schedules Visit By the end of the week it still wasn’t clear whether President Vicente Fox would attend the ceremony on Friday. September 27 is World Tourism Day, established by the UN, and Puerto Vallarta holds a special place in both the affections and economics of the nation. What was sure was that the ceremony would take place, weather permitting, at Los Arcos downtown, and that the Secretary of Tourism, Leticia Navarro Ochoa, would be one of the speakers. Also expected to attend are the governors of both Jalisco and Nayarit. A commemorative plaque will be given to our city for the designation of “Friendliest City in the World” based on a survey by Conde Nast early in the year.
Movie Festival Announced for October Wally Lobatto of the Cultural Office at City Hall revealed the list of films planned for the upcoming International Film Festival. An annual event, October 18 - 24 is the week to set aside for that popcorn marathon. All the films are award winners, and many of them don’t make it here at any other time. Wally’s list unveils movies from seven different countries and in six different languages. Opening with “Tierra de Nadie” from Croatia, titled “No Man’s Land” in English, this drama won as best foreign film at this year’s Oscars. Another that garnered several nominations and wins for both Golden Globe and Oscar awards is the English movie “Iris,” based on the story of Iris Murdoch. A complete schedule will be available on our events calendar. Look for further write-ups here on virtualvallarta.com.
“Together for Vallarta” Combines Hotels and University The upcoming second Hotel Forum, entitled “Juntos por Vallarta,” or “Together for Vallarta,” was announced at a press conference at La Petite France. This forum is a combined effort by the Centro Universitario de la Costa, or CUCosta, and the local hotels. This year the participating hotels are Velas Vallarta, Marriott Casa Magna and Westin Regina. René Ibáñez Salcedo, (see photo) director of the Gazette CUC, the university newspaper, and Jeffrey Fernandez, president of CUCosta, were instrumental in bringing back what was a very functional forum for discussion of the diverse aspects of hotels and tourism. It is an attempt to continue and encourage involvement of the hotel industry and tourism with the youth of the community. The meetings will take place October 16 - 18 in three locations, Velas Vallarta, the Marriott and the auditorium of CUCosta. Check www.cuc.udg.mx/foro-hotelero for further information.
Local Chef Receives National Award Victor Hugo Ávalos Rizo is a name you might want to remember. At 25 years old, Victor just won second place in the national championship to find the best young chefs of Mexico, managed by Fundacion Ambrosia. Employed as chef at The River Café, the motivated young man has won other awards on his climb up the ladder of chef superstardom. Present at the ceremony, attended by the local press, were owners Margarito Larios and Evangelina Sanchez, also proud of the impact of their recent remodeling project. Chef Victor Hugo spoke, mentioning how a third of the points came from how well the plates represented the region. His recipe of lobster flan with squash blooms and mango sauce, in conjunction with the local huachinango, or red snapper, seemed to be the winning combination. There were three trials, the first with ingredients brought with the contestant, the second with a basket of surprise ingredients the night before preparation, and the last another surprise basket just 30 minutes prior to preparation. The prize is $3,000 USD and a trip to Paris with a one month scholarship to study at the Centro de Formacion D’Alain de Ducasse.
Visiting Chef Ready for Festival Gourmet Plans for the upcoming Festival Gourmet, November 7 - 17, continue in full swing as visiting chefs come to Puerto Vallarta to take stock of the restaurants where they will be working during the month. Chef Richard Sandoval, also president and owner of Tamayo, a restaurant of modern Mexican cuisine in Denver, was here recently. Richard was hosted by José Portocarrero C., food and beverage manager of the Premiere Hotel & Spa. Richard lived in Acapulco with his family in his youth, and commented that “Puerto Vallarta is so comfortable and beautiful. It still has that small-town feeling.” His restaurant is connected with the restaurant Maya, with locations in both New York and San Francisco. Look for further information on both the upcoming opening of the new restaurant in the Premiere Hotel and the Festival Gourmet here on virtualvallarta.com.
BUSINESS NEWS L’Atelier des Arts Schedules Inauguration A new art gallery, located at Guadalupe Sanchez 711 in El Centro near the popular Galeria des Artistes, is scheduling its opening this week with a collective exhibition Saturday, October 5. Owners Rodolfo Bañuelos and Cory Graunitz will represent local as well as international artists. The small gallery, designed with the feel of an “atelier,” or workshop, is a comfortable space in which to view works by artists such as Sastrus, Iñaki, Rodolfo (see photo), and Paulina Ascencio. Stop by on Saturday after 6 pm to check out another exciting new gallery for our art-hungry public.
Xitomates Opens with a Flair A chic new restaurant just opened downtown, another bi-level, which seems to fit the rage in public space and design. Xitomates takes its name from the Nahuatl word for tomato, such an important item in the cuisine of the entire culinary world. A large copper and steel curved panel at the base of the restaurant, lit from behind by candles, welded and carved by a blowtorch, gives a distinct feel to this earth-toned restaurant. Wines are called for, and they have a menu of offerings not only from Mexico, but also from the USA and France, at reasonable prices. The menu offers diverse flavors, such as tuna steak Veracruz style, a popular red snapper escoveche, steak and chicken dishes. Vegetarian dishes are offered and, with advance notice, special macrobiotic and vegan plates can be prepared. Located at Morelos 570, El Centro, phone 222-1694.
Garbo Announces Piano Lessons The club Garbo, already renowned for its music of Latin and Caribbean flavor, is offering a new program of piano lessons. Salvador Rodriguez from La Petite France, will be coming to Garbo in the mornings. Call 044-322-229-7309 for further information. Located at Pulpito 142, just off Olas Altas next to the Torre de Oro hotel.
Las Margaritas Offers More than Margaritas Located in the original spot of the ever-popular Roberto’s, the group of associates has opened a new restaurant, Las Margaritas, to offer a full menu of the best in Mexican cuisine. Tables on busy Basilio Badillo offer diners a casual experience, while still remaining removed from the melee. Always known for its splendid service, this restaurant promises to serve you any kind of margarita you can come up with. Try mango, strawberry, peach or melon, but don’t forget their fantastic standard lime margarita with salt on the edge of that lovely glass. The menu offers something for every appetite at any time of day, that is during their hours of 4 - 11 pm daily except Monday. Located at Basilio Badillo 83 in Emiliano Zapata.
Santa Barbara Ready for Final Phase of Remodeling On the very tail end of the rainy season, popular restaurant Santa Barbara, fast becoming the entertainment center of the city, will be closing for two weeks. The plans are to remove the posts from the downstairs staging area, which in addition to being structural are also ‘obstructural’ for some of the audience. “This will open up seating for up to 70, instead of the 45 we currently have,” says co-owner Billy Backus. Planned for fall is the staging of “On Golden Pond” by Spotlight Productions, which will continue to share the space with Theater Vallarta, as they alternate productions. A new menu is planned, to feature salads and homemade dressings, and a new coffeehouse will open in the entrance. Watch for further upcoming events when they reopen in mid-October. Located at Olas Altas 351.
Week of September 09, 2002
Off-Road Rally This Weekend Departing from the Nissan Dealership on Saturday, September 21, at 8 a.m., entrants in the 1st Vallarta Cup Off-Road Rally drive to El Tuito about an hour north, where the big race gets underway the same day.
Round Table For Mexico Boutique Hotels Representatives from the 31 and growing members of this network of luxurious, small private hotels throughout Mexico gather for their third annual conference in Cuernavaca from September 22 through 24.
Upcoming Film Festival An international film festival is scheduled for Puerto Vallarta from February 20 through 28, the organizer of the star-studded affair, Cine-Club Vallarta, announced. Members of movie director John Huston’s family will be on hand to present an award in his name. Huston put Vallarta on the world stage with a movie he made here in the ‘60s – “The Night of the Iguana.”
Vallarta Gets Film Guide Listing talent under 19 categories – including actors, catering, set decorators and costume designers – the Puerto Vallarta Film Commission, in association with Cine-Club Vallarta, is producing the first-ever guide for employment in films, television programs, commercials and documentaries made in and around Puerto Vallarta. Talent can email their contact information to cineclubvallarta@hotmail.com.
When to Visit Foster Home Volunteer support for Vallarta’s year-old Refugio Infantil Santa Esperanza – home to 32 children aged a few months to 14 – has been so strong that visiting hours have been set so the kids maintain some kind of daily routine. Volunteers are encouraged to stop by to play with them or help out however they can 11 am - 1 pm and 4 - 6 pm every day of the week. For further information contact Sudy Coy at sudycoy@yahoo.com or visit RefugioInfantil.com.
Free Cooking Classes The third Thursday of every month, Lans department store continues its tradition of offering free cooking classes at 5 pm. Restaurant Kaiser Maximilian hosts in October and Abadia Basso in November. At the corner of 31 de Octubre and Juarez, across from Woolworth.
Release Program Ups Odds for Turtles Under Vallarta’s Sea Turtle Release Program, every night throughout the sea turtle season – May through September – staff at beach resorts gather eggs newly laid on the beach, which are then transported for incubation while still in their nests. Forty to 70 days later, the hatchlings emerge and are released on the beach after dark to minimize the threat of predators, with the aid of hotel staff and guests. Dennis Whitelaw, general manager of the Marriott CasaMagna Puerto Vallarta, say this means that 96 percent of these eggs will hatch, instead of the usual 40 percent.
September Means Rembrance in Mexico Not only is September the anniversary of Mexican independence and the tragic events of 9/11, but also of two of the largest earthquakes in history, which took place in the world’s most populous city on September 19, 1985. Registering 8.1 on the Richter scale, the first terrorized Mexico City inhabitants for three minutes. Thirty-six hours later came a second, registering 7.5 and killing many who were still trapped. Total estimated deaths: 20,000.
Week of September 02, 2002
“Charros” Strut Their Stuff This Saturday One of the most anticipated events of the “Fiestas Patrias” celebrations this month is the impressive parade through town of cowboys and cowgirls on horseback – everyone decked out in their colorful best. The “Charro Parade” sets off from Lazaro Cardenas Park in Vallarta’s South Side at 11 am on September 14.
The Main Square’s the Place to Be This Sunday Vallarta’s mayor, Pedro Ruiz Higuera, performs the traditional “grito,” or shouting of “Viva Mexico,” from the balcony of City Hall at 11 pm on September 15, followed by a fireworks display. Early birds can begin the evening at 6 pm, when the municipal band entertains in the square – as it does every Sunday at that time. Then at 9:30 pm, various mariachi groups entertain in honor of Mexico’s independence. Monday, September 16, is a national holiday, and banks and government offices are closed.
Galeria Dante Re-Opens September 17 Vallarta’s largest sculpture and art gallery – in a gorgeous setting on Basilio Badillo, also known as “Calle de los Cafes” – has an exciting lineup of events for the upcoming high season. Owners Joe and Claire Guarniere have announced that popular Vallarta artist/teacher Meg Munro will team with writer/sailor Pat Henry at a Saturday, November 16, cocktail art opening, where Pat will present her newly released “By the Grace of the Sea: A Woman’s Solo Odyssey Around the World.”
Chefs Give Co-operative Cooking Class September 18 Barcelona Tapas’ Bill Carballo and El Circo’s award-winning Felipe Pelayo will demonstrate their considerable culinary talents on Wednesday, September 18, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. With high regard for each other’s culinary mastery, the duo will give a free cooking class, preparing recipes that have proven popular at their respective restaurants. Location: Barcelona Tapas Restaurant and Bar at the corner of Matamoros and 31 de Octubre in El Centro. Reservations required. Call (322) 222-0510 for more information.
El Tigre Golf Club Hosts Tour de las Americas in October Top golfers from around the world will compete for the “Nations Cup” at the Paradise Village course in Nuevo Vallarta, October 10 - 13, 2002. Check out the event website at TourdelasAmericas.com.
“Puerto Vallarta Squeeze” Filming to Begin This Fall Production of the movie based on the book of the same name, written by Robert James Waller of “Bridges of Madison County” fame – which also became a movie starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep, is to begin here by November, according to a recent item in “Vallarta Today.” The newspaper says production offices for the $14 million dollar project will be in the Scala building in Vallarta’s South Side.
The Scoop on November’s Gourmet Festival For specifics about events comprising the 8th Gourmet Festival of Puerto Vallarta, which runs November 7 - 17, check out the website at FestivalGourmet.com. Provecho!
Homage Paid to Victims of 9/11 at the Sheraton Over a hundred people braved inclement weather to pay their respects to the victims of the terrorist acts of last September 11 at a memorial service at the Sheraton Hotel, marking the first anniversary of the tragic events. Minister Don Powell, Father Luis Alcazar, the 50-strong American School chorus, and pianist Sharon Baughman were on the program organized by the US Consular Agency of Puerto Vallarta.
Fashionable and Fun 16th Annual “Baile de Rebozo” On September 7, The Women’s Association of Puerto Vallarta celebrated what is considered by many to be the most important social event of the year at the Sheraton Hotel. Wearing brightly colored regional costumes, everyone enjoyed good traditional Mexican food, music and dancing – along with the suspense created by the contest judging who was wearing the best shawl, or “rebozo.”
Week of September 02, 2002
Independence Day Events Vallarta's main plaza at City Hall will be abuzz September 6 - 16 with activities and events in honor of Mexico's political independence as a republic. Mariachi Cocula perform September 6 at 8 p.m. And the mayor coronates the queen of Fiestas Patrias 2002 September 8 at 7 p.m. See our events calendar for further information.
9/11 Memorial to be Held at the Sheraton The US consular agency in Vallarta invites those who remember and share the pain of the tragedy the country suffered last year to a memorial service on Wednesday, September 11, at 8:30 a.m. It will be held at the Hotel Sheraton Buganvilias and led by Pastor Don Powell.
Bill's Bar & Grill Celebrates September 7 is the first anniversary of this friendly neighborhood bar and restaurant in the Hotel Zone and they're throwing a party that day marking the occasion. Offering "cheap drinks and cheap food," assistant manager Ron Collman says food's half price from noon to 8 pm, and from 6 pm to midnight, beer's 5 pesos and well drinks 15. Everyone's invited.
Luna Negra Entertains at Petite France Playing a fusion of different types of music, the group Luna Negra appears at the cultural mezzanine of La Petite France restaurant, beside the Fiesta Americana, on September 7, 5:45 - 7:30 p.m. Entrance is free.
Movie Complex Opens in Versalles Movie buffs now can munch popcorn at the new five-theater Multicinema Versalles on Francisco Villa, which opened this past week. Three of the theaters are up and running, and the other two are scheduled to open soon. A welcome addition to the entertainment options in town, its owner has a proven knack for knowing what the public wants, with two other movie theaters in Vallarta, the Bahia and the Luz Maria, also under his umbrella.
Campaign to Prevent Child Abuse Municipal authorities kicked off the second stage of the campaign "United Against the Sexual Exploitation of Children" last week, distributing flyers and posters in both Spanish and English door to door, led by the mayor and his wife. In a recent interview, Mayor Pedro Ruiz Higuera stressed to this reporter, as he has several times before, that protecting Vallarta's children from sexual predators, whatever their nationality, is a priority of his government.
Model of New Country Club Unveiled Plans for the Hacienda Flamingos Vallarta sports and social club were presented at Hotel Velas Vallarta last week. Lupita Vazquez says the facility, which will cover five acres in the Flamingos Club Residencial, is targeted for completion in October 2003. It will include 10 tennis courts, three swimming pools, squash courts, a fully equipped gym with snack bar, aerobics room, gravel jogging track, restaurant, pro shop and babysitting service. Membership will be open to non-residents of the Nuevo Vallarta residential development.
Paso Ancho Gets Connected Construction has begun on a two-lane bridge spanning the river canyon to Paso Ancho in southeast Vallarta. Once the bridge is completed, targeted for mid-December, its residents will have access to vital goods and services year round. At present, anything that can't be carried across the footbridge must be driven across the Cuale River, which is impassable for much of the rainy season.
Elton John Was Here Singer Elton John jetted into Vallarta from London this past week to entertain at a surprise birthday party at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, then jetted back the same day. The party was for the wife of an American executive who booked the entire hotel for his guests.

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